According to the latest findings from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), cardiovascular disease—an umbrella term that includes heart attacks, stroke, arrhythmia and several other conditions—is the leading cause of death in the United States. Of course, many things can contribute to the formation of cardiovascular disease, including genetics and countless lifestyle choices.

Scientific evidence shows that breathing polluted air can impair memory and reasoning, reduce academic performance and even result in lower intelligence—but you don’t have to put up with it.

Here are three important ways air quality directly affects your ability to think:

A few cups of coffee a day may do much more than fuel that early-morning energy oomph. The latest wave of scientific evidence suggests drinking coffee offers numerous health benefits that contribute powerfully to a balanced diet, an active lifestyle and overall well-being.

Until recently, the health impact of the world’s most popular beverage has been hotly debated. However, better and more well-designed research is now telling a much clearer story, one that has coffee enthusiasts celebrating.

Just as you wouldn’t drive your car 100,000 miles without changing the oil, regular preventative maintenance is the best way to ensure trouble-free operation and peak performance from your home’s heating and cooling system. Preseason maintenance can help you avoid a system failure in severe weather, when you need it least, and it can keep your energy bill from getting you hot under the collar.

..Make a list, measure it twice. After celebrating the signing of your new home (congratulations!), it’s time to begin the moving process. Even before you start packing, it’s important, if possible, to visit your new home with a tape measure. Carefully measure and take note of the square footage and dimensions of every room in your new home. Do the same with any existing appliances and furniture you plan on relocating to your new home to ensure that everything fits through the door ...

For people who live gluten-free, it can also be an opportunity to share their lifestyle and show how tasty and lovely a gluten-free life can be.

One treat to try, that can be made gluten-free, is a new twist on an old standby—Chocolate Cherry Peppermint Tassies. These pretty little cookies taste sort of like a peppermint brownie bite filled with a cherry.